Crossroads
by anne-bellee
Summary: Follow up story to Roads— The Mellark's come face to face with the reality of living with a blended family. But it's nothing short of a few bumps along the way. Follow Katniss and Peeta while they learn to overcome any obstacle thrown their way.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** _Hey guys! Are you all as excited for this story as I am? I'm honestly so excited right now I can hardly stand it. I can't believe I am continuing Roads. I went back and forth on this for a while, thinking about whether or not I should continue it. And I finally decided that I should, and I'm so glad I decided to._

 _For those of you who are here because of Roads, welcome back! And to those of you who are new, hello, and welcome! Now, if you haven't read Roads yet, I don't suppose it would be that big of a deal if you skipped straight to this, but if you like to have information, and more of a back story, I suggest you go back and read Roads._

 _Also, a little info on ages and such: I time hopped a bit since Roads. This story start out 4 years after Roads. Which would mean that Katniss and Peeta are both 29. Avery is 11, and Maria is 5._

 _Anyways, thank you all for reading, and sticking with me as always. Don't forget to let me know what you think, after reading this of course, by leaving a review. They really help me keep it up. Enjoy._

 _All mistakes are mine._

* * *

 _Crossroads_ — C _hapter 1_

* * *

It's just around sunset, the sky melding a muted orange into cerulean. And as the midsummer breeze flows through and blows my hair behind my shoulder, cold chills travel down my spine. The ambience is considerably calming, with the various sounds of nature coming to a close for the night. Crickets are just beginning to chirp in this muggy June night as we make our final rounds of unloading the U-Haul.

" _Katniss!_ Put that box down, _right_ now!" I whip around, the box full of kitchen supplies bumping the inside of the door frame, causing me to stumble a few steps inside. Peeta sets down the box he was carrying and rushes over to me, taking the box from my hands. I cross my arms over my chest defiantly.

"It's fine, Peeta. I'm fine. I can carry a box— it doesn't even weigh that much," I huff, but Peeta isn't having any of it. If his stern stare and slight irritation is any indication, he's upset by my defiance.

"You know I don't want you carrying anything. I asked you—"

"I know! But this is going to be our house, and I want to help."

"I think you're helping enough," he whispers, kissing the tip of my nose before allowing his hand to rest on the barely visible bump. "Besides, I don't want you doing anything more than simply grace me with your presence."

I roll my eyes and scoff. "I'm not helpless, Peeta. I'm pregnant."

"I know, but still— I love you. And if I have anything to do with it, you're not lifting a finger."

"But—"

"No buts— not a finger." He lifts his finger up for emphasis before ghosting his lips across my own. I feel his hand wrap around my waist in order to pull me closer, and just as I lean into his touch, he gives a firm slap to my ass. Our lips break apart before I shove him away, scowling.

"That's foul play, Mellark."

"Oh whatever—"

 _"Mommy!"_

Peeta and I both whip around just in time to watch Maria bounding up the front steps before slamming into me. Her raven curls tangle around her face on impact as she bounces off of me, taking a few steps back before hitting her back against Peeta's front.

"Woah there, little woman." Peeta laughs, grabbing Maria's shoulders. She bobbles on her feet to catch her balance before holding a small box out to me.

"Here mommy, Avery found this and told me it's for you." As if on cue, Avery appears behind us in the front yard, walking around the big Oak tree and rounding his way to the porch.

Peeta reaches for the box in Maria's hand and and I watch as his eyes widen slightly. "Actually, Maria, we can't give this to your mommy just yet," he whispers, kneeling down to meet her eye line. "We have to wait for…" he trails off, tapping his finger against my little belly. Maria's lips curve up into a knowing smile, and I can't help but feel like they are keeping a little secret of their own.

Peeta stands, then, just as Avery makes it up the stairs.

"Hey, momma," he greets, waving a hand. He's breathing heavily, probably due to the fact that he's been helping Peeta move boxes all day. That eleven year old has way too much energy and strength.

"Ave's, why don't you take Maria up and show her her new bedroom, huh?" Maria beams happily, completely elated that she finally gets to have her own bedroom. "Would you like that? And then maybe later we can go look at paint."

"Okay papa!" Maria cheers, jumping in her spot. "I'll race you!" She turns quickly to Avery who, in a matter of seconds, darts into the house. Of course, just like his father, he itches for a challenge. Maria isn't too far behind, leaving Peeta and I to ourselves.

I try to bypass him and pick the box back up off the ground, but Peeta glares at me.

"Come on, don't do that," I say, pouting my bottom lip. "Please let me help. I've been pregnant before, I know what I'm allowed to do."

"But you know what Dr. Aurelius said… It's different with multiples." Peeta beams at me, shaking his head. "I still can't believe that."

"I know, it seems a little crazy, doesn't it?"

" _Twins_ , Katniss. Twins."

Neither of us can contain the smiles that stretch our faces.

Peeta wraps an arm around my shoulder and leads me down the path that leads to the street. Once we reach the end, he turns us around, letting us observe in silence.

Our home, safely nestled in a new, quiet suburban neighborhood just outside of Seattle, illuminates light from the various facades.

The dark grey brick is a stark contrast in comparison to the large, white washed windows. A large Oak tree towers above the second story, just in front of what will be the master bedroom. The paved path in which Peeta and I are standing on now leads straight to the few steps up to the dark, wooden door which is accented with two, black sconce lights on both sides.

The landscaping is so beautifully intricate, with a winding pattern of mulch filled with bushes and flowers of all sorts and colors. The yard itself, with it's large capacity, is dotted with multiple assorted trees, all of which are in no way compared to our Oak tree.

I smile, leaning further into Peeta. His hand grips my hip, his thumb rubbing small circles on the side of my belly. And I know, in this moment, that nothing could be better than life itself.

 _Because this is our life now._

* * *

"This color?" Peeta asks, holding up a bright pink paint sample. Maria shakes her head vehemently.

"No… too bright. I don't want pink… maybe blue?"

"Blue sounds like a great idea," Peeta agrees, leading Maria over to the blue paint samples. "Do you see any that you like? There's…a darker blue— or this one, it's like a sky blue."

"Oh, Oh! I like that one!" she squeals, grabbing the sample out of Peeta's hand and handing it to me. "Mommy! Look at this, isn't it pretty?"

I take the sample from her hand, admiring the color her and Peeta have chosen together. "I love it, baby. It'll look great in your new room." Her smile beams up at me, her rare dimples on full display. She resembles her father so much in that aspect, Gale having to have given her those himself.

Maria clutches the sample to her chest, jumping up and down. "Peeta says he's gonna help me paint my room when we get home!"

The way she says home makes my heart skip a beat.

"Is that so?" My eyes flicker over to him, now helping Avery look at the samples. Avery looks disinterested, but is going along with it anyways. Ugh, pubescent boys.

"Yeah! And I asked when we were gonna paint the babies room but he says we have to wait and find out if they're boys or girls." She pouts, giving a frustrated groan. "When are we gonna find out, mommy? I gotta know! I just gotta!"

"Well, the babies aren't big enough to find out, yet. But as soon as they are, we're gonna go and look, okay? And you'll be the first to know." She smiles at that.

"Okay cool! Well I'm gonna go talk to Peeta now. Bye!" She scurries off to Peeta, and he picks her up, placing her on his hip. It's crazy to think about how close the two of them have become over the past four and half years. Maria has had Peeta wrapped around her finger ever since she called him "papa" for the first time a few years ago.

Avery walks towards me, now, a sullen, disinterested look on his face. "When are we going home?" he asks, leaning against one of the isle walls. "I'm bored."

"You don't want to look at paint colors for your room?" I ask. He huffs.

"Not really, I'm just gonna let dad decide. I don't really care." He's already inherited his fathers jaw clench that he does when he's done with a conversation. That boy just doesn't stop. He develops more and more of Peeta's mannerisms every day.

"Okay, if your sure. But you can always pick out a color or change your mind if you want."

"I'm fine."

* * *

 _"Peeta!"_ Maria screams, ducking her face into her elbow. "That's not fair! You can't do that!"

Peeta chuckles lightly, reaching out and smearing another line of blue paint across Maria's forehead. I watch in silence at the two, admiring their jovial behavior. I don't even feel jealous that she only wanted Peeta to help her paint. It makes my heart swell that she's willing to spend this much time with him.

I twist my wedding rings around my finger momentarily as I watch, trying to alleviate some of the pain from the swelling. I was never this swollen carrying Maria.

"Aha! Got you!" he yells back. But Maria is quick, like me, jumping up and smacking him on the arm, leaving a little five year old handprint on his skin. He retaliates, dropping his roller brush covered in paint onto the tarp covered floor, swooping down and throwing Maria over his shoulders, giving me a triumphant smile.

I roll my eyes. "Okay children, settle down. You're going to make a mess." But I can't help but laugh at the sight.

"Mom!" I stick my head out into the hallway when I hear Avery's voice coming from downstairs. "Somebody's at the door!"

"Coming!" Peeta and I exchange places for a moment as he gives me thumbs up, assuring me that he can handle Maria by himself for a while.

I quickly pad down the stairs and into the hallway, rounding the corner to the front door. I glance around the living room to find Avery plopped down onto the couch watching television.

"Avery, who's at the door?"

"I dunno," he responds, not even turning to face me. I huff, reaching foe the handle and slowly opening the door, revealing a woman and a little girl, maybe a little younger than Avery, standing in front of me.

"Hello," I answer, leaning slightly against the door. "Can I help you?"

The woman smiles, her blue eyes gleaming. "Oh, well my daughter and I just noticed you moved in a few days ago, and thought that maybe we could bring you a little house warming gift." It's then that I notice the place in her hands, and under the plastic wrap I can make out chocolate chip cookies. My stomach grumbles loudly, and I have to put my hand on my rounded stomach to silence it.

"Oh, and I guess congratulations are in order as well, I see." I smile back at her, shaking my head.

"Yeah, these kids are already a handful."

"Oh! So you're having twins…?" she asks, reaching down and running her fingers through her daughters hair. Her long, blonde and loosely curled hair. Her hazel eyes flicker up to mine before she looks away quickly with a shy smile.

"Yep, it's twins this time around."

"That's wonderful. Though, I don't know if I'd be able to handle twins. This one's enough." She laughs playfully, pulling her daughter into her side. "Do you have any other children?"

It seems strange divulging this kind of information to a stranger, but she seems trust worthy enough. I point behind me to the living room, and though he's not visible, I motion anyways.

"Yeah, uh, my son— Avery, he's eleven. He's starting sixth grade in the fall. And I have a five year old. Maria, she's upstairs right now."

"Did you say my name?" Avery asks, and I turn my head to watch him walk over to me. But he's not looking at me, but at the woman and girl standing in front of me.

"Yeah, but you're fine. I was just telling… what's your name?"

She smiles. "Carrie. Booker."

"Katniss—Mellark," I offer, turning to Avery. "I was just telling Carrie about you and Maria."

"Oh, okay." he shrugs, his eyes floating over to the girl beside her mother. "Who's she?"

"This is my daughter, Hayden. She's going to be starting fifth grade at John Muir this fall."

I raise my eyebrows. "What a coincidence. We bought a house in this district just so we could send Avery there."

"No kidding? I'm sending Hayden there because it's where I went at her age, and it's been said to be the best elementary school here in Seattle."

"That's what I heard as well. My husband and I actually researched for a while before we found John Muir."

"Did somebody say husband?" I feel him before I see him as I feel a strong hand wrap around my waist. My attention is turned as well to the stairs as I hear Maria squealing with excitement as she approaches all of us.

"Mommy! Me and Peeta finished painting my room! It's so pretty! You have to come see!" I reach down and run my hands through her dark hair before resting them on either side of her face, trying to calm her down.

"Maria, baby, calm down." I laugh. "I'll come look at your room soon, okay?" She nods. "I promise."

Peeta looks at me, and i can tell he's trying to fight off a grin. "Did you give her sugar?" I ask.

He presses his lips together before lifting his thumb and forefinger into a small measurement. "Maybe a little…"

I roll my eyes. "You sure you didn't dump the whole bag down her throat? She's bouncing off the walls."

"Sorry," he mouths, pressing a kiss to my temple.

"It's fine. I'll deal with you later." I whisper, turning back to the door. "So sorry. Sometimes he doesn't know when to say no."

Peeta chuckles beside me. "Guilty."

"I'm not sure I caught your name?" Carrie asks, holding her hand out for Peeta to shake.

"Peeta Mellark. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," she says, giving us both a warm smile. "Anyways, we should probably go. It's getting about time for us to eat. It was nice meeting you all though."

"Same to you," I gesture, giving her hand another shake, as well as taking the cookie plate from her hands. "And Hayden is welcome to come over and swim anytime. I stay at home, so I'll always be here. Just send her over."

"Thank you, I'll keep that in mind."

"Bye," I say, waving as the both of them walk away. I shut the door after that, slapping Peeta on the arm.

"Are you crazy? Give Maria sugar like that this close to dinner? Now she's never going to sleep." Peeta feigns innocence, batting his eyelashes rapidly at me.

"I'm sorry," he whispers, his face inching closer. "Will you ever be able to forgive me?"

"I'll think about it," I whisper, standing on my toes and pecking his lips. "Now go get dinner started while I go look at Maria's bedroom with her."

* * *

"Daddy!" Maria squeals as Gale pushes his way through the door. I lean against the wall, my arms folding atop my stomach. "Daddy daddy!" He shoots me a funny look as she runs into his arms. He easily lifts her off the ground, spinning her around a few times before settling her down onto his hip.

"Did mommy give you sugar today?" he asks, his eyes meeting mine.

"Nope, Peeta did!" she replies, giggling.

He rolls his eyes, shaking his head. "Well, at least it's not me putting you to bed tonight, it's alright." he winks at her, their smiles mirroring each others as they carry on their own little conversation. Movement catches my eye behind them, and I watch Madge stroll through the door next.

"Hey Madge," I wave, walking over to her. "Hows the married life?"

"It's uh, it's okay."

"I heard that," Gale exclaims, setting maria down beside me before wrapping an arm around Madge. "It's only okay?" He pouts his lip.

"It's more than okay," she smiles, but I watch it falter slightly. Gale looks to me, then, cocking his head towards the living room.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" he asks.

I raise my eyebrows. "Sure."

Maria appears from the kitchen, carrying one of the cookies we received earlier. "Do you want a cookie, Auntie Madge?" she asks.

Madge smiles widely, nodding her head. "Sure, thank you."

"Well follow me then. Peeta says we gotta keep 'em warm for desert so we gotta eat 'em now while they're warm."

"Maria Jane Hawthorne, don't you dare eat all of those cookies right now. You've had enough for tonight."

She narrows her eyes at me, pursing her lips. "But—"

"No buts. Go help Madge with one, alright? But don't you dare eat another."

"Don't worry, Katniss. I'll make sure she doesn't eat another,' Madge says, though she tries to discreetly wink at Maria. I sigh, waving them off.

"Come on, lets go talk," I say to Gale, leading him into the living room. He sits down next to me on the couch, his knee bouncing nervously. I open my mouth to speak, but he beats me to it.

"Madge is pregnant." I look to him, then.

"What?" I ask, making sure I heard right.

"Madge is pregnant."

I bite my lip and swallow hard, thinking carefully about what I want to say next. "Is…is this a good thing?" I ask.

He hesitates. "I don't know, Catnip," he whispers, turning to face me. "I really don't know. I mean— I'd like to think of it as a good thing."

"I'm guessing this wasn't…"

"Planned? No." he admits. "It's just not something we really thought about."

"Gale, is there a reason that this wouldn't be a good thing? I mean… and I'm asking this out of pure respect, but— does she not want to keep it?"

He sighs deeply, his knee beginning to bounce again. "It's not that she doesn't…want to keep it. It's more or less the fact that she isn't prepared."

I laugh. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh, but— I wasn't anywhere near prepared either. I mean, that was five years ago, and I wouldn't trade Maria for the world."

He nods his head but stays silent. I reach over and rub his shoulder reassuringly.

"Just talk to her about it, alright? I honestly think you'll both be okay."

"She's nervous, you know. Didn't know if you could tell or not."

"I had a sneaking suspicion."

He grins. "How are you, then? You seem to be doing well."

I nod my head, smiling. "Pretty well."

"How little…Mellark doing?" he hesitates on "Mellark". He's still getting used to the fact that I'm having another mans baby. Well, babies.

"Actually, it's… Mellark's."

"What?" he asks, raising his eyebrows.

I roll my eyes. "I'm having twins."

"Twins?" he repeats, his mouth hanging open.

"Yep. But we haven't told anyone yet, so keep it between us. And Madge, of course."

"Of course," he smiles. "So you're really…having _twins_?"

"Yes," I laugh, and we share a truly genuine smile. How far we've come.

"Hey mo—"

I turn my head, finding Avery standing in the doorway. He pauses, his eyes flicking to Gale before landing back on mine.

"Um, dad says dinner's ready." he leaves before I can even utter a response.

"He hates me," Gale sighs.

"He doesn't hate you. He just doesn't know you."

"Regardless, he doesn't like me."

"Would you stop?" I ask, standing from the couch. "And play nice in there, alright? It's our first dinner together in this new house and I won't have you being spiteful."

He gives me a reproachful look. "Sorry, Catnip. I'll behave."

"Good."

* * *

"Come on Maria, get up. Let's move you to your bed." I nudge her legs aside, sitting down next to her on the couch. Her and Avery had fallen asleep while watching a movie, but it was long since Avery moved himself to his room.

She whines, rubbing her face into the cushion. "Come on, baby." I try pulling on her arm gently, but she only retracts it.

 _"No, papa."_

I look to Peeta, who's just now walking into the room. I sit Maria up, her small frame leaning against my own. Her head lolls to the side slightly before falling onto my shoulder, he eyes fluttering open.

"I want…papa."

My breath catches, Peeta and I's eyes finding each others in the dimly lit room. His face lights up with a warm smile as he walks to kneel down next to me, scooping Maria into his arms. Her hands go to wrap around his neck, her head falling against his chest.

"I'll take her," he whispers, standing up. "Meet me up there."

"I'll go check on Avery," I whisper back. He gives me a head nod before disappearing through the doorway and up the stairs. And as I make my ascent up the stairs, it hits me how funny it is that we're taking care of each others children.

I let my hand roam the picture frames that we've begun lining the walls of the upstairs hallway. Many in which involve candid shots of either Peeta doing something ridiculous— like the time he decided to wear one of Maria's baby hats when she was two— or something sweet and memorable, like the time I caught him sleeping in her crib.

I round the courier, lightly pushing Avery's bedroom door open and peeking my head inside. He's fast asleep, his back towards the door. The room is still it's neutral color, with little to no decorations yet— besides his baseball teams photograph that's placed atop his dresser.

I walk inside, leaning over his bead and smoothing out his unruly curls that stick up every which way. He stirs in his sleep, but doesn't wake up. I kiss his forehead lightly before back ing away, flicking off his closet light on the way out— he likes to use it as a night light. It's understandable at this point, it's a new house and things can be unpredictable and scary.

I hear a voice the closer I get to Maria's room. And as I approach, and open the door, I find Peeta layed out on Maria's bed, with an asleep Maria resting against his chest. He closes the book in his hand when he sees me, unhooking his arm from around her little body as he sits up, carefully lying her head down onto the pillow.

"She was out before I even started the book," he whispers as he makes his way over, pulling me into a hug. He inhales deeply, pressing his lips to the side of my neck. I shudder under his touch.

"Come one, let's go to bed. You'll have plenty of time for that later."

"Yes, we do," he agrees, kissing my lips. _"We have all our lives."_

* * *

 **AUTHORS NOTE** : _Now, I do want to let you all know first, that this story will time hop one more time after this. The first part of this story with be Katniss' pregnancy with the twins, and then their birth. But after that, I'm doing a pretty dramatic time hop. I don't want to give anything away, I just wanted to let you know what you're getting yourselves into._

 _I bet you noticed me introducing a few new characters into the mix. And trust me when I say that these characters don't go away. They're very important to this story._

 _But trust me, I have this all planned out perfectly. Honestly, I plan on this being 100% better than Roads. It's going to be all Everlark, trust me. Also some Gadge (Gale and Madge). But mostly Everlark._


	2. Chapter 2

**AUTHORS NOTE** : _How's everyone liking the new follow up story? Is it okay? Because i'm pretty excited about how it's turning out. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Onwards with the second!_

 _Also, it's been a little bit, so you might want to skim over the first chapter again to remember everything. Sorry about that wait, but life's been super stressful and I just haven;t been able to write/ haven't been in the mood. But don't worry, I could never leave my Roads universe alone! Happy reading!_

* * *

"Avery, what did I tell you about running by the pool!" Peet shakes his head, shifting in the chaise beside me. Avery takes a running dive into the pool, completely disregarding Peeta. I shake my head, turning to face him.

"Are you just going to let him ignore you like that?"

He sighs. "I'll deal with it later."

I raise my eyebrows, narrowing my eyes. "Will you?" I ask.

"Yes, Katniss." he huffs, running a hand through his mussed hair. My eyes widen, completely taken off guard by his sudden attitude. "He's my son. I'll handle it." His eyes widen as soon as the words leave his mouth, his head turning to stare at me. "I—I'm sorry, I didn't—"

"It's fine," I mutter, struggling to push myself up from the chaise. I push the stray hair from my face, matted and sticky from the heat. I feel a hand wrap around my arm as I begin to stand, but I pull it free, not bothering to look down behind me.

"Katniss wait—"

But I'm already gone, pushing my way through the sliding glass door and into the house. I can hear the muffled sounds of that stupid Disney princess movie that Maria insisted Prim watch with her for what has to be the hundredth time in a row. Shaking my head, I make my way through the den, past the kitchen, and into the living room, where I find Maria cuddled up with Prim on the couch. Maria's head is in Prim's lap as she weaves her hands through her hair, creating a single braid down her back.

Prim notices me first, greeting me with a small smile. "Hey," she whispers, patting the spot next to her. Maria looks up, then, her face lighting up immediately.

"Mommy! Prim braided my hair like Elsa!" I cringe at the mention of the name, trying my hardest to keep my eyes from straying to the television where that god forsaken movie is playing. I'll forever curse Gale for buying that for her for her birthday. Not to mention he got the sing-a-long version.

"Is that so?" I ask with forced enthusiasm. "It's very pretty. Prim did a great job."

"Thanks mommy. I want to talk to you but Elsa's about to sing "Let It Go", so you gotta be quiet!"

This fucking kid.

"Okay, well do you mind if I borrow Prim for a second? I promise she'll come right back"

"That's okay." She doesn't even turn her face to me, but keeps it glued on the television. Prim and I make a run for the kitchen as soon as "Let It Go" begins playing.

"Thank you for saving me," she whispers, pulling me in for a hug.

I hug her back. "I could tell you needed saving. I could sense it."

"Could you? Or…is there something else going on?" she asks. I give her a steady look, trying to keep my face stoic. It's eery how well she can read me, though.

"It's nothing. I'd rather not discuss it right now."

Prim takes a breath, then, leaning against the counter. Her eyes drift to my growing belly. "So, how far along are you again, now?"

"Nineteen weeks."

"When do you all get to find out the sexes?" she asks.

"Next week," I mutter, plucking at my t-shirt.

"You're nervous."

"Kind of. A little bit." She gives me a look. "Okay, a lot."

"Why? They're both perfectly healthy, right?" I nod. "Then there's nothing to worry about. Just…think positive."

"I mean, I'm nervous for a good reason. I guess— I guess it just feels weird, you know? Twins. It's so…it's weird. Is it weird that I think that?"

Prim laughs, dropping her hand to my stomach and rubbing gently. "No, it's not that weird to think that. I mean, it's weird that you of all people are having twins, or any children at all, for that matter. But other than that, it's perfectly normal to feel nervous."

"Yeah," I whisper. "I guess I'm just not prepared to take on two babies. I mean, I was barely prepared enough for Maria. Now look, I've gone and created an entirely new situation."

She scoffs. "Yeah, well you probably should have thought about that before you and Peeta—" My hands fly to her mouth.

"Little ears!" I warn. "Maria's got ears like her father— can hear anything from a mile away." Prim rolls her eyes, prying my hands from her mouth.

"Sorry," she giggles. I shake my head, though my face falls as I peer around her to stare out the window to the back yard. Peeta sits, still, and I watch as his eyes skim over Avery as he cannon balls off the diving board, coating Hayden in a wave of water as he does so. Her shrieks can be heard from all the way inside the house.

"Hey, you okay?"

I blink a few times, my eyes finding Prim's curious ones. "Uh yeah, I'm fine. It's nothing."

"Nothing my ass. Come on, you can tell me." Pressing my lips together tightly, I inhale through my nose deeply, blowing it out before opening my mouth to speak.

"I just— I guess I feel a little overwhelmed. I mean, I look at Avery and see so much of his father, yet I see so much of me. He's not even biologically my son, yet he's so much like me."

"Katniss, blood relation has nothing to do with how a child turns out. It's all about the environment that they're raised in. You've been a good mother to him. You're basically the only mother he's really known for more than half his life."

I sigh. "But I'm not really his mother."

"Katniss?" Prim and I turn to watch Peeta push through the sliding door. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" he asks, standing in place. "And Prim, would you mind watcher Hayden and Avery for me for a little while? I don't want them getting into any trouble. It would only be for a few minutes. I promise."

Prim nods, raising her eyebrows at me before walking towards the door. "Sure thing."

Prim gives me one more small hug before passing Peeta and walking out the door. That leaves Peeta and I at a stand still, neither of us really knowing what to do. But after a few more seconds of unbearable silence, he speaks up, holding his hand out towards me.

"A minute, please?"

I nod my head, following him through the kitchen and into the dining room. He pulls out a chair for me at the table before pulling out another beside mine and sitting himself beside me. I sit back, crossing my arms against my chest, resting them atop my stomach. I wait for him to begin his apology, though it's several quiet minutes before he finally speaks.

"I'm sorry," he whispers, lifting his head to look me in the eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said earlier. You're every bit Avery's mother. I…I misspoke."

I eye him carefully before my eyes fall from his face, finding them tracing the pattern of the wooden table. His apology rings in my ears for several moments before my eyes lift back to his own. Those bright, blue eyes usually filled with so much sparkle now hold a sorrowful gaze as they search my face.

"I'm really sorry, Katniss. I—I really don't know what I was thinking." He pauses, taking one of my hands into his own and letting them fall into his lap. "I love you, okay? Don't think anything otherwise. I'm sorry if what I said upset you. You know Avery's been stressing me out lately…" his voice trails off, and so do his eyes and they fall to the floor. I know exactly what he means. This isn't the only time that Avery has acted out, or talked back to Peeta like this. It's getting worse as he gets older.

"It's okay, Peeta. Really, it is." As much as I want to stay upset, I really don't have the energy to be. I'm far too tired, and these twins are leeching every bit of energy that I have left straight from me. I'm lucky if I can move five feet without getting winded now.

"It's not." He squeezes my hand a little harder. "It's really not. I don't ever want you to fee like you can't call yourself his mother. You've been the only mother he's ever really known, and he loves you. You know that, he knows that, and I know that. So please, I'm sorry."

His words linger in the back of my mind, a smile creeping upon my lips as I think of all the times he's actually called me "mom". Those have been some of the best times, and I don't think I'll ever tire of it.

"Alright," I whisper. "I know. And I'm sorry for…over exaggerating. I'm a little bit emotional these days, if you can't tell."

"I know," he chuckles, reaching out with his free hand and running his fingers through my hair. His thumb peaks out and runs itself along my cheekbone softly. "It's alright, though. I wouldn't trade your emotionalness for the world. Especially since it results in two little me's."

I quirk my eyebrows. "Hey now, don't be so full of yourself. You don't even know if one of them is a boy, let alone both of them."

"You never know," he smirks.

"You're right," I admit. "You never know."

* * *

"Alright Hayden, thanks for stopping by," I say, watching her blonde curls bounce as she passes through the door and out onto the porch. "Tell your mother we say hello."

"I will, Mrs. Mellark. And thanks for letting me come over and swim." Her voice is quiet, shy as her lip half curls into a small smile. It's been a few weeks since she's known us, yet she's still as shy as ever. The most we've heard from her is from her conversations with Avery. She's not much of a talker when it comes to anyone else.

"Any time," I respond, watching her stalk down the steps, across the yard, and across the street. I stand there and watch until I see her walk through her door before turning and walking back into the house. Dinner ended about an hour ago, yet the delicious smell of melted cheese and garlic bread still waft through the air.

I decide to take a detour back through the kitchen, my growling stomach going against any of my better judgements that I shouldn't eat again this late. But fuck it, what have I got to lose at this point. Plus, I'm eating for three.

I dig through the fridge for leftovers, though end up opting for chocolate ice cream once I discover it's place in the freezer.

"Ah—ha." I turn suddenly, almost bumping into Maria as our bodies collide. It's then that I realize that I've been caught red handed. "You said I couldn'ta have any ice cream tonight. But you're eating some. So that's not fair."

"Life's not fair little lady." I turn to look behind my to find Peeta strolling into the room. "And if momma said you can't have ice cream before bed, then you can't have ice cream before bed."

I smile, though as I look down at my daughter, he little face crinkles and her eyes fall sullen. "But…Papa…" She's got those eyelashes batting so fast, and those puppy dog eyes sparkling, that when I turn to watch Peeta's reaction, I see his eyes lit up like the sky and know he's a lost cause.

"Peeta…" I caution, raising my eyebrows, trying to seem stern. But his smile is contagious, and I feel myself falling for it.

"Babe, I think we've lost this battle," he whispers, stepping around me and reaching into the cupboard, pulling out three bowls.

"Three?" I ask, raising my eyebrows.

He only shrugs. "I might as well join you." Is his simple reply.

"Oh, you're the best papa!" Maria exclaims, running up to Peeta and lifting her arms to be lifted. He hoists her onto his lap, ruffling her raven locks. She smiles up at him and my heart leaps out of my chest. I never in a million years thought Maria would become so attached so fast. Though I guess she's like me in that way. It's so easy for someone like Peeta to root themselves so deeply inside of you that you have not much of a choice but to let them inside forever.

"Only the best for my little woman," he responds, kissing her forehead before setting her on a stool off the island. "Now, who's ready for some ice cream?"

The three of us sit in relative silence as we eat, though I don't miss the kicking contest between Peeta and Maria going on beside me.

"Hey dad, have you—" The three of us turn and watch as Avery stops in his tracks, his face falling stoic as he sees the three of us sitting together. "Wow."

"Did you need something?" Peeta asks. Avery just stands there, his arms now crossed against his chest, his face turning red as he swallows hard.

He continues to stand there silent as he stares at the three of us before muttering something that sounds like "bullshit" under his breath and stomping out of the room.

"Woah!" I yell, trying to stop him form leaving. But it's too late, and he's already up the stairs, his prominent, loud footfall being heard from the wooden floor above us. My head whips to Peeta's, but he's already on his way out of the room before I even get a chance to say anything.

I quickly wipe Maria's face, ridding it of chocolate before lifting her from the stool and ushering her up the stairs to her room. I opt to bathing her in the morning, and quickly dress her into her pajamas, kissing her on the forehead and promising that I'll be right back, but to stay in her bed until I come back to read her a story. Mommy's gotta go help Peeta.

Quickly, but quietly closing Maria's door on my way out, I walk towards the end of the hall to where Avery's room is located, resting one of my hands atop my rounded belly as I push through the door. Both Peeta and Avery are facing away from me, but it's not hard to tell that Avery's been crying due to his body language. He's curled up in himself beside Peeta, his arms crossed against his chest as he looks away from him.

I knock once before entering, Peeta turning to face me. And as our eyes meet, I know it's something serious by the way his eyes flit away, his mouth falling into a frown. I walk— waddle at this point, to the edge of the bed before sitting down next to Peeta. He breathes a heavy sigh before speaking.

"We have a problem," he whispers quietly. "Avery doesn't think we care about him as much anymore. He doesn't think he's important."

"What?" I ask. "What— why?"

Avery interjects, his voice broken, yet strong as he speaks for himself. "Dad never spends time with me anymore, and if he does, it's only when it's all of us together. All he cares about is you and Maria anymore. And when the babies get here, I'm going to be invisible, and nobody is going to care about me anymore."

"I—"

"There's no point in trying to tell me I'm wrong. I already know I'm right. I'm already invisible."

"Avery…" Peeta starts, his voice much gentler that Avery's, which is hot, and full of anger and spite. "You know we could never forget about you, right?"

He scoffs. "Whatever."

"Hey, don't "whatever" me. I'm being serious, okay? You're so important to me. To the both of us— how could we forget you?"

"You already have!" he exclaims, this time, his voice breaking. "Just now, downstairs. Neither of you even told me that you were all eating ice cream. But— who got to? Maria. She's all that you care about and nothing is going to change. It's only going to get worse. So just…Just leave me alone."

He gets up to walk out of the room, but Peeta catches his arm and stops him. He turns to me, then.

"Maybe you should just go put Maria to bed. We have an early appointment tomorrow, and I think it would be best if everyone was in bed a little earlier tonight. Is that okay?" My gaze flickers to Avery before falling back on Peeta. His usually sweet, calming face is now twisted in agony and I know he needs his time alone with his son.

"Alright. I'll meet you in bed."

* * *

"Wait wait wait…" I whisper, moving his hand around atop my belly. "They're right…here." I stop his hand right below my ribcage, though it's not hard to find them once they start getting hyper. Which, just so happens to be around the time we're supposed to go to bed.

Peeta's face lights up with elation, his eyes fixated on the swell of my stomach. "It's almost like it's not real…" he trails off, his hands still holding on.

"What do you mean?"

He looks up at me, then. "This," he says, his eyes falling back down to my belly. "And you— I'll never know how I became so lucky."

A smile finds its way to my cheeks, lifting my lips. "Right place at the right time, I suppose."

"You mean with Prim at your restaurant? I hardly call it the right place." I chuckle, the memory replaying my mind a thousand times over.

"Well, why?" he asks.

"Because— I was pregnant, and you had no idea. It wasn't fair to you."

"Oh, I don't think that matters very much now, does it? I mean, look at us now. It doesn't matter how we met, all that matters is that we're together now."

I smile, the warmth from his own leeching onto me. I roll my eyes, pulling him up by the collar in order for our lips to meet once.

"You've always been the smooth talker, now haven't you?"

"Yes ma'am," is his simple reply. "Now, let's get some rest so that I can prove to you tomorrow that those little life suckers are both miniature me's."

* * *

 **AUTHORS NOTE:** _Hey all, sorry for the wait, but life got in the way :( I'm in the process of going through all of my shit, because I'm going to University soon! I know, UGH. But life happens, and it sucks. But I hope you enjoyed the chapter (though I'm sorry a lot of this is filler so I can get to the next chapter) The next chapter, though, will be much longer. I promise._

 _Any who, next chapter we get to find out the gender's of the twins! Aren't you excited?!_


	3. Chapter 3

**AUTHORS NOTE:** _I'm so sorry for the wait on this you all. My life is pretty hectic and crazy. I'm currently working my ass off so that I can move into an apartment soon within the next month as well on a few different short films. So sorry for the wait. I promise, the next chapter won't take nearly as long to update._

 _Reviews keep me going. Let me know what you thing :)_

 _Again, thank you for the endless support. Shout out to my main, and best friend Jodi (and Gillian, of course) for supporting me through not only Roads, but this as well. And for always encouraging me to write more. She always knows when to give me a swift kick in the ass when I need it._

* * *

"Are you ready?" The nurse turns to both Peeta and me, a smile gracing her lips. The goo spread across my belly is cold as she slides the monitor across the spans of my stomach.

Peeta and I both nod and meet eyes before turning back to the monitor. And, though we don't know what we're looking at, both our hearts are beating out of our chests. The suspense is killing me, and Peeta winces due to the fact that I'm squeezing all the feeling out of his hand.

"Okay, so… Baby A is…" the nurse hesitates, focusing her eyes to the screen. "…A girl."

Peeta's eyes find mine against the glow of the monitor, wide, and elated. Though, his eyes gleam brightly once more as the nurse begins speaking again.

"And it looks like baby B is…A boy." She turns to us, then, smiling as she goes to wipe the goo from my stomach. "Congratulations, you two. I'll be back in a while to send you off, but I'll leave you two a moment to be alone." She nods quickly before pushing to stand and exiting the room.

It's silent for a good while, the both of us in a state of shock. We're both feeling some sort of way. A mixture between excitement, worry, and doubt fills me to the core. I reach down to stretch my shirt down over my stomach, but Peeta's hands stop me.

"Don't," he whispers, splaying both hands across my exposed belly. "This is…this is crazy. I—" he stops, but only for a moment, to catch his breath and gather his thoughts before his eyes trail from my stomach to my eyes. His, blue, gleaming against the single light of the ceiling. "I'm sorry, I'm just trying to figure out how to…comprehend everything."

"It's a lot to take in, isn't it?" I say, running a hand through his curls. His forehead falls to rest against my stomach, and I can feel his eyelashes flutter against my skin. He nods, then, exhaling heavily before lifting his head and sitting up straight. I watch him carefully as he rubs at his face with his hands before removing them to look at me, biting his lip.

"A girl, Katniss. A girl. And another boy, I—" he stops, shaking his head. "We're having a little girl, and a little boy. I can't even believe it."

"Well, I mean… you knew it was going to be one or the other. It's not that big of a surprise." He grimaces, taking my sarcasm to heart, I guess. Though a bit of bitterness did seep through, I suppose. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that, Peeta. All I meant was…" I pause, trying to gather my words in which seem to be stuck at the back of my throat. "I'm nervous, if you can't already tell."

His eyebrows raise slightly. "Well, yeah. I figured that much. But it's not about them, is it? It's about something else." He knows me too well. With the way he so easily reads me I'm surprised he isn't telepathic. If it wasn't so endearing I would almost find it annoying.

"I'm just…I'm nervous about having a boy, okay?" I say, finally pulling my shirt down to cover my exposed belly. "I've never— I haven't— I'm all too used to raising girls, you know? First Prim, then Maria? I don't think I'm equipped to raise a boy. It's not in my genetics."

At that, Peeta laughs. One of those short, breathy laughs he does when he's trying to make sense of a situation. "Katniss, you've practically raised Avery."

"I haven't, though." I point. "I didn't come around until he was well above five. He was practically grown by then."

"Katniss…" he starts. "It's going to be fine. Everything's going to be fine. This is all…crazy, I know. But it's not something we can't handle—"

I smile, stopping him mid—sentence, brining his face closer in order to kiss him softly. "—together."

* * *

"Mommy!" Maria flies into me the second I step foot through the door. Gale's lingering in the background, his arms crossed against his chest.

It's always weird— coming back here. All the memories seem to meld together in my mind, even after all these years. After Peeta and I managed to sell his house and move into one of our own in order to fit our ever growing family, we had to decide what to do with mine. The house Gale and I once shared had always been in the family, and it wasn't exactly mine to sell. It had belonged to Gales' parents once, and when they decided to move across the country, they had given it to him to start a family. The latter part happened later than sooner, but nonetheless, it happened. And though we didn't necessarily live together anymore at that point, Gale was still in New York, and I still couldn't sell the house. But Gale managed to find a job back here again, and before we knew it, he and Madge were packed up and moving in. It's still a weird concept, him and Madge living in the house in which we once…coupled in. But it's nice knowing there will be less fights, and hopefully, more love shared within these walls.

"Hey, baby." I run my hands through her hair as I stand in the doorway, waiting for Peeta. "Did you behave for your father?" I ask, my eyes driving to Gale's from across the room. He begins shaking his head when her voice reaches my ears.

"Well…" she starts, kicking a non—existent dust bunny across the floor.

"No," Gale interrupts, stalking across the room. "She didn't— not really."

I raise my eyebrows questioningly, kneeling down so I'm able to be eye level with our daughter. "Maria, what did you do?" I ask, grasping her by both her shoulders.

"She threw a tantrum for a good hour, is what she did." My eyes drift up to Gales', who's crossed arms grasp at his forearms, his jaw clenching.

"Is your name Maria?" I ask, and he rolls his eyes. "I asked _her,_ " I mutter, looking back into Maria's eyes. She looks at the ground, her bottom lip pouting. "I want to hear from her what she did wrong. Then, I'll ask you." He grunts, leaning against the staircase.

"Now, Maria, I'm going to ask you one more time. What did you do?"

Her eyes still won't meet mine as she fidgets with her fingers.

"I…well…well daddy wouldn't let me watch my show, and it made me really mad, you know? So I got a little angry and yelled mean things but I'm sorry he just made me so mad, mommy!" She says it all so fast I almost don't catch it all. She throws her hands to her sides, sighing heavily. I feel Peeta stop up behind me, so I stand.

"Hey, I was just leaving. You…need me to stay?" he asks, his eyes darting back and further between Gale, Maria and myself.

I smile even if I don't feel like it. "No, I'm fine, really. Just some parenting stuff you definitely don't want to be here for," I assure him. "Seriously, go, have fun. I'll meet you both at home later."

Peeta's decided to take Avery back out to the batting cages this afternoon. After the rough conversation a couple weeks ago about him feeling as if he's not important, Peeta's made it an effort to take him out, just the two of them, every Saturday. So I spend mine with Maria and Gale.

"Alright, see you later." He kisses me quickly before turning to leave. "Love you."

"Love you," he smiles, walking towards his car.

I turn back to a pouting Maria, pushing her though the doorway further and shutting the door. I hear Gale clear his throat as he reenters the room, various shards of glass filling his hand. I raise my eyebrows carefully.

"This," he stars, holding the glass out to me. "—is what she did. She threw a glass at the wall and it shattered. Not to mention it put a hole in the wall, which I now have to fix."

My eyes widen with surprise. Then, anger begins bubbling up inside of me. I kneel, then, grabbing her by the shoulders again and forcing her to look at me.

"Maria, did you do that?" I ask, awaiting a response. But no matter what, her eyes won't meet mine. "I'm talking to you, Maria. Do you want to be grounded?" She shakes her head, her lips quivering. Her eyes, wet, finally lift to meet my own. "You've never done this. What has gotten into you? I—" A swift kick to my ribcage knocks the breath right out of me. I squeeze my eyes shut, forcing my breathing to even out.

"You okay?" Gale asks, dropping the shards of glass to the floor and grabbing me, suddenly, by the forearms and helping me to stand. One of his hands falls to my lower back as he walks me over to the couch— the same couch we once shared— and helps me sit. "Do you need anything? Water—?"

"Water's fine," I whisper. He disappears into the kitchen as I watch Maria shuffle her way over to me. She doesn't get close enough for me to reach, however.

"I'm sorry, mommy," she says, her voice fragile. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

My eyes soften. "You didn't hurt me, Maria. It hurts my feelings when you act out like that, but you didn't do this."

It's not been long that she's been acting out like this. It's really only when she's told by her father that she can't do something. I guess it's because she doesn't really understand him. He's only been completely available to her this past year, when he moved back. Other than that, it was Skype every once in a while for he was in New York. They're basically strangers, though it's not her fault. She's taken to him fine, though. She's just not used to this back and forth between homes. She's only five, I can only imagine how confusing this can all be for such a young child to understand.

"Is it the babies?" she asks, finally moving to sit next to me.

I nod, running my fingers through her hair.

"Here." I turn to watch Gale stroll through the walkway between the kitchen and into the living room. He hands me a glass of water with a small smile before sitting on the other side of me. The couch shifts with his weight, his arm brushing against mine. His leg bounces against my own before he finally speaks again. "So, did you want to still take her to the park? Or did you want to just stay here and rest while she runs around the back yard."

I turn to him, eyes eyes meeting a few inches apart.

"It's just that…I know you're not feeling all that well. We can talk about what happened earlier with Maria, later. I think you've had enough stress for this morning," he says. "A decision on a punishment can wait."

His gentleness throws me off, though I'm not at all surprised. He always did have a gentle side to him. I always just thought it was lost. Though I suppose Madge has somehow restored that side of him. That's good, then. Every storm needs its calm.

"No, you're right. I should probably rest for a bit." He nods, then, standing.

"If you want, you can take a nap for a while. I can take Maria outside until you're feeling up to going out."

I smile. "That would be great, thank you."

He reaches a hand behind him and rubs his neck. "You can take the spare room upstairs, if you want. It's just got a twin bed since we're in the middle of renovating it into a nursery. But feel free to sleep wherever you want."

I nod before turning to Maria and pulling her into me, placing a kiss into the side of her head. "I'm sorry for getting angry at you. But you have to know that it's not okay to act that way. Do you understand?" She nods against my chest. "Now go play with your father, and apologize." She get's up and walks over to Gale, though doesn't meet his eyes. "And don't think you're off the hook. We still have to talk later, okay?"

She nods before hopping form the couch and trudging over to her father. "I'm sorry, daddy…" she whispers, sticking out her bottom lip and batting her eyelashes. Gale sighs heavily, shifting on his feet before kneeling down in front of her.

"Listen, kiddo," he begins. "What you did today was not okay. You're in a lot of trouble, still, but for now we're gonna go outside and play so momma can rest. Got it?" She nods quickly as he stands, patting her on the back. "Come on." He ushers her into the kitchen and out the backdoor, throwing an apologetic glance towards me before shutting the door.

I scrub my hands over my face, outwardly groaning and falling against the back of the couch. It's barely noon and I'm already overly exhausted. Might as well throw in stressed. Lot's, and lots of that. And a nap does sound in my favor. So I push up from the couch and walk the few feet to the steps before ascending them.

I skim my fingers along the wall where our old photos used to be. The wall, now bare, holds only empty memories. No more wedding photos, baby pictures, nothing. It's a strange feeling, as an unwanted surge of nostalgia washes over me as I walk down the hall and into the spare room. Maria's first year was spent here, yet it's been completely stripped of her presence. The walls have been repainted a light yellow and half the carpet has been ripped up. A pile of wood lies in the corner to be lied down in the future. I guess this is what Gale does in his free time, now. He never had any of that while he was with me. He and Madge are happy, though. That's the difference.

There's a bed, though, as promised. And it looks more and more inviting the longer I stand in the doorway. My head hits the pillow and I'm asleep before I even realize.

By the time I come to, the sun is low in the sky which throws shades of purple and pink across the room. A quick glance at the watch on my wrist tells me it's barely passed five in the afternoon. _Did I really sleep for over five hours?_ So much for getting things done today.

A door slams downstairs, and muffled voices can be heard. I suppose that's my cue to get up.

I'm halfway down the stairs when the voices become clear.

"Upstairs. She wasn't feeling too well so I offered to watch Maria while she took a nap. But that was at noon, so I guess she was really tired." Gale's voice rings clear. But who is he talking to?

"She hasn't been sleeping well at home. The babies have her backwards. She's been up all night and exhausted during the day. It hasn't been easy."

"I'm sure." Gale responds, his voice sounding sad.

"We're having a boy and a girl."

Silence.

"I wasn't sure if she told you or not."

"She didn't. That's great."

"Were you nervous? When you found out you were having a girl?" Peeta asks. It's quiet for a few moments. I bite my lip, remembering that day. I was alone, however. Gale never did make it to that appointment.

"I…wasn't there— when she found out."

"You weren't there?"

Gale grows quiet. "I was a different man, then."

"Are you nervous, then? With…Madge?"

"I honestly can't say. It all feels so overwhelming at this point. I'm just now learning how to become Maria's father. How am I supposed to father a baby?"

"It's okay to feel overwhelmed," Peeta says. "I feel the same way, sometimes. Katniss would probably kill me if she ever knew I was scared."

"Scared?" Gale asks.

"I mean, yeah. Wouldn't you be scared? If the woman you loved was going through something like this?"

I let the words sink into my skin. He's scared. But the way it sounds, it's not as if he's truly scared about become a father again. He's just frightened about…what?

"I loved Katniss. I really, really did." Gale's words feel like someone has just taken a knife and twisted it into my chest.

"You were a fool— to let her go."

"I was a fool for more reason than that."

"You were a different man, then. You said it yourself."

"I only cared about myself. I…I left her here, alone, with our child. She was all alone and I was—" he cuts himself off. "You— You be there for her. Understand?" He says. "Don't make the same mistakes I've made. Or else you might lose her, too."

"Oh, Gale, I'm not that stupid."

There's a silence so thick you could hear a pin drop. Though, it's only a few moments later that Gale's hearty laugher can be heard throughout the first floor.

"You're alright, Peeta."

My heart swells. It's not much, but it's something. They're getting along, and that's what matters the most. The fact that they were both able to lie so much out on the table to each other just now speaks volumes. It makes me want to pull them both into a hug and never let go.

"Mommy?" I jump slightly at the tiny voice coming from the step behind me. I turn around, Maria's tired eyes looking up at me.

"Hey, baby. Were you sleeping too?"

She nods. "I was watching Frozen again but I fell asleep."

"Okay, well, it's time to go home. Pack up your things, alright?"

"Okay…" She turns and stalks back up the stairs.

"Katniss?" I turn back around to find Peeta smiling up at me from the bottom of the stairs. "Finally awake?"

"Uh, yeah," I smile awkwardly, trying to act as if I didn't just hear that entire conversation.

"Feeling better?" I meet him at the bottom. His lips meet mine for a second before he pulls away.

"Yeah, I'm actually feeling a lot better. These hooligans seemed to have calmed down, so that's good."

"Good," he smiles. "Go grab Maria and we'll go."

On the way out, I don't miss the friendly nod Peeta and Gale give to one another.

* * *

"So, as you all know, Peeta and I went to the doctor today." Avery and Maria's eyes are suddenly on the both of us from across the table. "We found out the genders of the babies, if you want to know."

"Yes!" Maria squeals. Avery shrugs, his eyes nervous.

"You sure you wanna know?" Peeta teases.

"Yes, yes! Tell us!" Maria is practically bouncing out of her seat, tucking her knees beneath her so she's almost standing in the chair. Her eyes dance between the two of us, watching us carefully.

"Well, firstly, we want you both to know that no matter what, we will always love you equally. You got that?" Peeta asks. I watch as Avery eyes his father carefully, his eyebrows slightly drawn together. It's the same look Peeta gives when he's trying to asses a situation— they're resemblance is uncanny.

"Katniss, you want to share the news?" I nod, dragging my bottom lip between my teeth before taking a deep breath.

"Well…We're having both a boy, _and_ a girl."

"Oh my gosh! Mommy!" Maria's squeals echo throughout the dining room as she hops out of her seat and runs over to me, throwing her arms around my neck. "Oh, I'm so happy! I can't wait 'till they get here so we can play, and oh! I can sing, I can sing to them! Do you think they'll like me, mommy? I'm—"

"Cool it, little woman," Peeta laughs, pulling her away from my side and plopping her onto his lap. "Relax. One question at a time, okay?" She nods, her bright eyes beaming as she flashes her widest smile at him.

"I'm really happy, papa, that's all." Peeta's eyes soften at her words, lifting one of his hands to brush her hair out of her face.

"I know, and I'm happy that you're happy. But you gotta relax— and lower your voice." She giggles, then, covering her mouth with one of her hands.

Peeta looks to Avery, then, who just pushes his food around on his plate with a fork. "What about you, Ave's?"

Avery peers up at us slowly, nodding his head to the side. "It's cool, I guess."

Peeta sighs incredulously. "You guess? You want to tell me what's going on inside that head of yours?"

I grab Peeta's arm gently. "Peeta, maybe we shouldn't do this right now—"

"No, Katniss. We are a _family_ now. If Avery has a problem with something— especially if it regards you or the children— it needs to be handled together. As a family."

I hold his stare for a long while, neither of our gazes breaking away. That is, until Avery speaks up.

"I'm really happy, okay? I am. I just don't see what the big deal is," he huffs, letting his fork clatter against his plate. "I knew the twins were coming. I don't know why I should feel any different just because you found out their genders."

Peeta shifts Maria in his lap, bouncing his knee. A nervous habit. "The difference, Avery, is that you should at least pretend to be a little more excited than you're giving yourself the impression of being." He says. "Our family is growing, whether you like it or not. Though Katniss and I would very much like it if you actually genuinely liked it."

"I'm excited, alright?" Avery mutters, agitation growing in his voice. "I love Katniss and the babies. But that doesn't mean I can't still be upset about some things."

I interrupt before we take this any further. Anything left to be said doesn't need to involve a highly sensitive five year old. "Alright, Maria, why don't you go wash up and I'll met you in your room soon."

"Okay." She pouts, but doesn't put up a fight. Instead, pats Peeta's cheek a couple of times before sliding from his lap and heading up the stairs. Once I hear the patter of footsteps up above us, I turn to Avery.

"Is there something that I'm doing wrong?" I ask, and his eyebrows crease together. "Because Avery, if I'm doing something, or have done something that bothers you, you can tell me. I'm not going to be upset."

Out of the corner of my eye I watch Peeta shift in his chair uncomfortably.

"No, momma, you didn't do anything wrong," he sighs. "I just…So much is happening, you know? I just kinda feel overwhelmed. Everything is just happening really fast and I guess it kind of snuck up on me."

I snort, though not meaning to do so blatantly. "You and I both, kid."

He finally cracks a smile, but it falters after a moment. "I didn't want to tell you, because I didn't want you to think that I hated you, but I'm a little upset about the twins." There it is, then. Out in the open. "But not in the way you probably think. I just…It used to be just me and dad. And now…and now there's gonna be six of us," he takes a deep breath. "I just didn't know if I was ready for that." He pauses, then, taking another deep breath. "But I think— I think I'm ready now."

I take Peeta's hand under table, his thumb running smoothly along my knuckles as he smiles, undeniably so, one in which matches Avery's to a T. He's so wise, already, for just eleven years old. He's so unmistakably like his father is a wonder he wasn't just cloned altogether. And it makes me truly, incredibly proud of him that he was able to admit to us his fears, though he has nothing to worry about.

"You know we'd never forget you, right?" I whisper. "You're my son, now. You are. And so I could never forget that."

His eyes sparkle with adoration at the statement I almost feels as if he would cry. But he doesn't, just stares at both me and Peeta with a smile.

"Thank you," he utters. "Mom." He gins a goofy grin reaching across the table and taking my other hand.

* * *

 **AUTHORS NOTE:**

 _Just so you all know, Avery isn't hateful. He loves Katniss, she's a mother to him. But he's 11 years old. We've all been 11 once. Where you're super hormonal and emotional and kind of bat shit crazy. He's going through a lot all at once, so don't hate him. I love him, even if he's being a pain in the ass at the moment. Nothing a swift kick in the ass won't help._

 _Thank you all so much for the follows, love and endless support. Reviews really make my day and let me know how you're all liking this so far. I'm feeling pretty down about it right now but I'm sure I'll start feeling better soon enough._

 _Until next time, Emily._


	4. Chapter 4

**AUTHORS NOTE:** _Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait again. Yell at me if you want but I'm really sorry. I recently moved hours away from home and before that I was switching between multiple jobs as well as packing and sorting things out with family. But alas, I'm back! It's been almost a year and there's literally no plausible excuse other than I've been extremely busy with life. But I promise the wait will never be this long again._

 _I've been writing other things solely in third person for months now (other fanfictions) so if I messed anything up or wrote anything wrong just leave it in a review and I'll be sure to fix it! It's been a while (almost an entire year) since I've written in first person (and I hate it now but I don't want to confuse people so I'll be leaving this story in first). Sorry for any mistakes!_

 _Also, this chapter might feel a little rushed but that's probably because it is a little bit. This story will progress faster than Roads did, a lot faster, and that's just how it's been planned since I decided to write this follow up. In a chapter or two we will be having one last time jump but that was said at the beginning of this story. You'll understand why when we get to it! It only gets more interesting from there._

 _(let me know if you even want me to continue this or just delete it so it ends with roads because I feel like this isn't turning out as great as I had anticipated it. Is anyone even reading this? Lol)_

* * *

I see them in a dream— like a whisper in my ears on a sunny afternoon.

The blonde curls that bounce as she runs through the tall grass. The bright blue eyes that crinkle as her father catches her — _their matching smiles._

His hair, dark— not as dark as mine, but perhaps the shade of watered sand on the beach— with shimmering blue eyes that were unmistakably the shade of an early morning sky.

They're perfect, and they're mine. _Ours._ I remember to remind myself that this is all real. _Real_ — until I feel the real world resurfacing, my fantasy escaping like fog through slippery fingers.

I wake with a start, sweat dripping down my cheeks and an ache in my chest. Though not a painful ache, but an ache of _longing_. Or maybe it's just the strong desire for the twins to be born already so I can breathe after taking two steps.

"Hey, you okay?" Beside me, Peeta sits up, fisting his hands to rub at his eyes before they focus on my own. "You're breathing pretty hard over there."

"Yeah, but I'm fine. Ready for these kids, but I'm fine."

His eyes soften before falling to my covered belly. He's nervous; I can sense it. We're rounding the nine-month mark and he's been adamant to remind me every day. It's been eleven years since he's had a baby— I'd be nervous too.

"You don't _seem_ fine," he whispers. I look away.

"I am. I'm just stressed, and I can hardly breathe anymore and on top of that my skin is super dry and my hair is still gross and pasty and—"

"Katniss, relax," he laughs, placing a calming hand on my bouncing knee. "How about you use that spa card I got you for Christmas—that you've still yet to use— and pamper yourself for once. You're too stressed, you need time to relax."

I huff. "There's no time to relax, Peeta! We have so much to do before the babies get here! The cribs still aren't built and the whole house is a mess and Maria has dance in—" I glance at the clock. "— two hours. There's too much to do. I can't go."

"Go," he pushes. "I can take care of everything. I can take Maria to dance on my way to Avery's baseball game. Just… _go_ , I promise everything will be okay. The house won't fall apart if you take a few much deserved hours to yourself."

I think for a moment. My feet _do_ hurt, and my hair _is_ disgusting. Maybe a few hours at the spa would be nice…

"Okay," I agree. "I'll go."

Peeta smiles; I hold up a hand.

"On one condition."

His smile falters, his eyes turning suspicious.

Leaning in, I whisper what I want into his ear. I can feel his intake of breath and when he pulls away, he looks as if he could laugh. But I catch the smirk hidden behind his eyes.

"Yeah, I think I can do that."

* * *

"We hope you enjoyed your time here, Mrs. Mellark. Please, come again."

I nod to the lady at the front desk before giving a small wave. With my hair freshly washed and styled, and my nails nice and painted… Peeta was right. It feels _good._

A ringing from the inside of my purse pulls me from my thoughts. Speaking of Peeta.

"Hey," I answer, throwing my bag into the car and sliding into the seat. "What are you doing?"

"Hey—" he drags out the word in a pant, almost in a singsong type of way. My eyebrows raise alone.

"What are you up to?" I ask. "You sound like you've just ran a mile."

"Yeah, it's not good, Katniss," he pauses and I panic momentarily. And when he's silent, red flags flash in my mind.

"What? What is it, Peeta?" There's a clatter of something in the background.

"Okay, don't panic, alright? Everything is under control, but you need to come to the restaurant right away."

"Don't panic? Peeta, if you tell me not to panic, of course I'm going to panic!" I exclaim. "What is it? Is it Maria? Avery? Are they hurt? What—"

"Katniss, calm down. Nothing happened to the kids. Just come, all right? I promise they're okay."

"But—"

"I have to go now, but come straight to the restaurant."

"Peeta don't—" He hung up.

The drive to Peeta's restaurant is nerve wracking. Everything bad under the sun plays in my mind and I think the worst. It's not until I pull into the parking lot that suspicion begins sneaking up my back.

The parking lot is empty, other than Peeta's car— which is usually parked around the back— and the lights look like they're off in the front room.

Worry aside, now pushed into the back of my mind, I push through the doors and use the flashlight on my phone to see inside.

"Hello?" I call out. I quickly shoot a text to Peeta letting him know I'm here before the lights suddenly flicker on.

"Surprise!"

As my eyes adjust to the sudden light and the shouts of surprise, I grab my chest in an attempt to catch my breath. And, before I know it, Peeta's at my side planting a wet kiss upon my cheek.

The room is full. Granted, most of them work at the restaurant, but still full nonetheless. Blue and pink balloons loiter the booths and little candy bowls fill the tables covered in assorted colored tablecloths. A large banner has been strung across two pillars, which reads **"CONGRATULATIONS!"** in bold letters.

I turn to Peeta, my tone accusatory. "You tricked me."

He smiles. "The gig is up," he laughs. "I know you didn't want a baby shower, but I had a little bit of help plotting against you."

"Prim!" I yell, and he nods. "Where is she? I'll kill her—"

"You really think I'd let you go without a baby shower?" Prim, who just loves to sneak up on me, slinks from behind someone else to stand before me. "You got away with not having one for Maria, but I wasn't going to let you go without one this time."

"But—"

"Plus, what kind of sister would I be if I didn't give a shower for B—"

"Prim! Shh," I cover her mouth quickly. "No names at the party, okay? Nobody knows." She nods. "Plus, Peeta doesn't know I told you, so stay oblivious."

"You know I can hear you, right?" Peeta says from behind. I jump, cursing myself.

"Damnit, Peeta. How many times are you going to give me a heart attack today?" He chuckles, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "Seriously!"

"Oh lighten up will you? I'm just having a little fun," he says. "And don't worry about the whole name thing, Prim. Katniss here is the one in trouble."

I scoff. "Trouble? Oh, we'll see who's in trouble after I kick your as—"

"Mommy!" Maria's body collides with my legs as she wraps her arms around me. "Daddy says the babies are coming soon!"

My eyes find Gales' as he walks— _runs_ , more like he's chasing Maria— towards us. "Your daughter is betting," he breathes deeply, catching his breath before placing his hands on his hips. "I've been chasing her around. Her and Madge have been betting with people for when they think the babies are going to come."

"Oh," I cross my arms against my chest. "And?"

"And?" he questions.

"And what's the verdict? Preferably something soon."

Gale rolls his eyes. "I bet they'd come within this week," he starts. "But Madge seems to think they'll come earlier."

"Earlier?" I echo.

"As in…today."

"Today?!" Laughing nervously is something I tend to be doing a lot of recently. I'm doing a pretty bang up job at it right about now. "Oh no. No, no, no, no _, no_. _Absolutely not_. They can't come today. They _can't."_

"Hey, don't look at me." Gale raises his arms in defense. "Madge is the one claiming that," he laughs, looking to an approaching Madge for help. Her stomach rounds underneath her sundress.

"You better be joking," I say, pointing at her jokingly. "I heard you're betting on the twins coming today!"

Madge laughs, leaning into Gales' side. "Hey now, I'm no psychic. I just have a hunch."

"A hunch?" Peeta asks.

"I've always been really good at predicting when a baby is going to come. I worked in labor and delivery for years and was always the one to guess when the babies would be delivered correctly, or at least pretty close."

"Well…" I begin, rubbing my stomach nervously. It's uncomfortably heavy, but nothing new. "Lets just hope for everyone's sake that they stay in for at least another week. I could really use that extra time."

If we're being honest, I'm terrified for their arrival. But I'm not going to let that stop me from being excited at my own baby shower.

"Well, do we have any games planned?" I ask, turning to Prim.

"We do!" she exclaims, her smile widening. She runs over to a table which holds drawing supplies and paper before quickly carrying it all over. "Okay, so it's going to sound a little silly but it's an old game that's played at tons of showers."

We all wait for Prim to finish passing out the pencils and paper to us all before sitting around a rounded table.

"Now, what everyone's going to do is close their eyes. You have to try and draw what you think the babies are going to look like while your eyes are closed."

She's right — it _does_ sound silly. But nonetheless, everyone plays along.

Before long, we have three with no heads and two with missing eyes.

"You all suck at this game," Prim says, and we all burst out laughing. The drawings do look quite ridiculous but we all knew it was a long shot drawing with our eyes closed.

My stomach tightens suddenly and I grimace, gripping the edge of the table for support. The pain lasts only seconds, however, so I shake it off and continue playing the game with everyone for another half hour or so.

And now I have to pee. Again.

"I'll be right back," I say, struggling to stand from the table. Waddling to the back of the restaurant, I throw open the door before falling against it when the tightness happens again. Only this time, it lasts a lot longer and hits a lot harder. My knees probably would have given out if it weren't for a pair of arms suddenly gripping mine from behind.

"Katniss, are you okay? You've been gone for a while." I recognize the voice as Prims', and when I turn around her eyes widen slightly. "You're sweating." She reaches out and places the back of her hand against my forehead. "And you're burning up."

"I'm fine," I say, pushing away from the door. "I still really need to pee."

"You're lying. I know that voice you're using."

I wave her off, pushing into the stall.

Okay, that's definitely painful and that's definitely not pee.

Trying not to panic, I call for Prim while biting my lip through another sharp pain. "Prim…" I choke. "There's something wrong."

I stumble out of the stall, gripping my stomach. "You're bleeding," she says. "A lot."

"Mhm," is all I manage before another sharp pain. "Peeta."

She nods, running out the door and leaving me to myself. I grip the countertop and stare at myself in the mirror while trying to slow my fast beating heart.

"Katniss?" Peeta bursts through the door in a panic, rushing to my side. Seeing the fear in his eyes is all it takes to break me and I practically collapse against the counter. "It's okay, we're gonna get you out of here."

I shake my head, allowing him and Prim to lead me out into the hallway.

"Let's leave out the back. We don't want to scare anyone here, all right? Chances are you're going to be fine, but just in case let's not cause a scene." Prim whispers, grabbing onto my other elbow while pushing open the door.

"Shouldn't we let our family know what's happening?" Peeta asks, slowly guiding me around the front of the building where his car sits lonesome in the lot.

"We don't know anything," I manage to choke out, the both of them helping me into the passenger seat.

"Katniss is right. We don't now anything and we shouldn't tell anyone anything until you know for sure," Prim says. "Besides, I'll be there soon. This way, I can tell family first, and send the rest home, all right? Peeta will get you to the hospital and I'll be right there."

I nod, oddly enough not feeling as frightened as maybe I should be. The pain is still significant enough to bring tears to my eyes but they don't spill over. I shouldn't worry Peeta anymore than he already is. His hands are doing that fidgety thing they do when he gets really nervous.

"Are they moving?" she asks.

"Um, yeah," I assure her, and Peeta as well as I feel around. "Not much, though. But they're moving."

"Okay, go. _Go_ , and Peeta— " she stops, looking at him. "— call me. Let me know what's going on and I'll meet you there." She kisses me on the cheek once before gently slamming the door. "Love you."

"Love you, Prim."

She smiles, "Go, I'll be there soon. Take care of them, Peeta."

"I will, promise."

* * *

Peeta always keeps his promises.

The arrival to the hospital is anything but calm, what with the tightening of my stomach, the poking and prodding from the doctors and nurses upon arrival and the unending questions.

"Are you in pain? Can you feel the babies moving? Have you had any bleeding?"

"Yes, to all of that," I grit out, the pain worsening. "I was bleeding some earlier."

They've gotten me into a room and before I know it, I'm being poked and prodded and the blood being drawn makes the color in Peeta's cheeks disappear.

"Alright, Katniss, I'm going to go ahead and take a look at you before performing an ultrasound. If the bleeding is significant we may need to perform a C-section."

"You mean I'll have to have surgery? I can't— "

"Katniss, it's _gonna be okay_ ," Peeta soothes, kneeling beside me. "If it comes to that, we'll conquer it together. Right now we have to do what's best for you and the children. We have to think about them right now."

I nod, not wanting to admit he was right.

"Alright Mrs. Mellark, it looks like the bleeding has stopped for the moment, but your water has been broken and you're not dilated at all. So what that means is that if you can't dilate within the next while, we'll need to perform an emergency C-section."

I look to Peeta, whose usually calm face practically turns green. I almost forgot how not okay he is with blood.

"You had a bit of bleeding during your first pregnancy, am I correct?" I nod at his statement. "Alright, well, so far everything looks good. We are going to keep an eye on you for a while to see if you are able to dilate but if not, we will have to perform surgery."

I swallow nervously, nodding my head. Peeta stiffens beside me and I can feel his hands trembling within my own. He's nervous, _more_ than nervous. It's been so long since he's been in this kind of situation and even then, that had only been one baby and from what I've heard, the birth had been rather easy.

This time, things were _different_.

Some time passed and between the time where my doctor left and I fell asleep, Prim had arrived, Gale and Madge in tow.

It's hard not to laugh at the horror stricken look on Madge's face as she enters the room. "What?" I ask. "This will be you pretty soon."

Her face whitens and I smile. "Don't worry, I'm sure things will be a lot smoother with you."

There's a bit of silence before anyone else speaks up. "How are you feeling?" This time, the question comes from Gale and I smile gently.

"Like I'm about to have two more children."

We share a laugh and he shines a genuine smile. "Finnick and Annie have Avery and Maria. They both wanted to come see you but I suggested that maybe they should wait until _after_ the babies come," he said. "Maria wasn't too happy about that."

I frown. "She wanted to be here," I whisper. "She told me she wanted to be here but that was before we found out I may need a C-section."

Gale's mouth forms an _O_.

Somewhere beside me, a phone rings. I look to Peeta and watch him pull his phone from his pocket, answering it immediately.

"Hey, Finn," he says. "Yeah— no— it takes a bit longer than— yes they're here— they told me." Their broken conversation can barely be made out through the phone but I listen closely as I hear the sound of a boys voice on the other end.

"Hey Aves," Peeta says, rubbing his face tiredly. "Yeah, she's okay—no, they're not here yet— I don't know, buddy, but I'll let you know— okay, okay, here— " he hands the phone to me. "Maria wants to talk to you."

I take the phone with a sigh. "Hey baby," I say, and her voice is loud on the other end.

"Mommy!" she yells. "Are the babies here yet?" she asks. "Oh— I'm so, so excited to see them. When can I see them? Are they here yet?" I laugh gently, swallowing hard.

"No, they're not here yet but I promise that when they get here, you can come see them," I smile.

"Okay… well, love you mommy!"

The call ends before I can respond.

* * *

 _Cold._

I feel _cold_.

Peeta is beside me, prepped in his surgical gear and I watch the blonde curls stuffed beneath the blue cap. It's the only thing I can seem to focus on— other than his eyes boring into my own or his voice filtering in through my head. He's saying something, but I can't make out what.

"They're almost here," he finally says and I meet his gaze. I can't seem to hold his stare. "They're almost here, baby, just hold on."

 _Hold onto what?_ I can barely feel my body. I can't feel anything below my chest besides a slight tugging. Even if I know what's happening on the other side of the curtain, my nerves are fried. It's like I can't feel anything— emotions included. I'm not sure what to really think and it isn't until Peeta suddenly leaves my side that I'm brought back from inside my own head.

I hear more voices— it must be the doctor.

"Here— cut here," he says and I hear a faint cry before another voice cuts through the air.

"Baby number one is out," they say. "It's _a_ _boy_."

I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding before calling out for Peeta. He's to my side within seconds. "He's here— " he chokes. "He's here." His forehead falls against my own and I smile, feeling a tear leak down my cheek. _Am I crying?_

"I've got baby number two," I hear, and Peeta goes once more and I hear the same instructions as before on where to cut the umbilical cord. "Baby number two is out— it's _a girl_."

I swallow hard and finally realize that I _am_ crying.

Suddenly, Peeta is walking over with one of our children and I let out a choked sob, reaching for them. It's _her_ , and she's perfect.

The doctor hands Peeta his son and I watch the smile spread across his face. He looks so happy, and tears leak down his reddened cheeks.

It's still so cold, but suddenly I don't care.

* * *

 _Beau Montgomery Mellark_ ; he was born two minutes before his sister at 6 pounds, 2 ounces.

 _Anna Marcelline Mellark_ was born shortly after, weighing 5 pounds, 12 ounces.

They're both perfect, and they're both _ours_.

Beau grins up at his father while Anna seems to be more curious, her bright eyes searching my face as her tiny mouth puckers.

They share blue eyes and the peach fuzz atop their heads will surely turn into a blonde mess of curls. At least, I hope they share their fathers _everything_. But, the shapes of their eyes are my own despite the brightness that matches that of an afternoon sky.

"This is weird," I hear Peeta whisper, and when I glance up from the bed he's rocking Beau in his arms.

"Hmm?" I ask.

"Just… _this_ — them— _everything_. I feel like I've been waiting for them my whole life and I just needed to find _you_."

I smile at his words and can't help the swell of my heart. His eyes never leave his son and I glance back down at our new daughter who's slumbering in my arms. I reach out to trace her little lips with my thumb and her face scrunches up before her mouth opens in a yawn.

"I never wanted children," I whisper. He knows, however; we've had this conversation moreover a hundred times but it seems fit in the moment. "When Maria was born, I thought… that's it— _she's_ it." His eyes find mine. "But then I met you, and everything changed."

"I knew I would want more, eventually. I didn't know I would be given such amazing children but now that they're here… I don't know— I feel _happy._ "

"I'm happy too," he whispers. "I love you."

"I love you too," I say.

"You two are disgusting."

Peeta and I turn our attention to the door where Finnick stands, holding an awestruck Maria in his arms. We hadn't even noticed his appearance.

 _"Mommy!"_ Maria wiggles within Finnicks' arms but he holds tight, not letting her out of his grasp. "Uncle Finny— I wanna see the babies!"

"Finny?" I ask, and Peeta's look mimics my own.

Finnick simply shrugs before looking to my daughter. " _Shh_ , the babies are sleeping," he whispers, pointing to the child in my arms.

"You can look," I croak, exhaustion lacing my voice. "Just don't touch, alright? Try and be extra quiet okay?"

Maria shakes her head. "Okay, mommy."

Finnick lets the girl slide to the floor before she runs over to the bed, climbing in beside me. She looks to me with a smile before looking at her new baby sister. I watch as her hand hesitates to reach out but she stops, looking to Peeta, then.

"This baby kinda looks like papa," she giggles, scrunching her nose.

"This is your sister, Maria. This is _Anna_."

Maria's eyes light up. "Baby Anna— she's so cute," she laughs. "She's little, mommy. Why is she so little?"

"Because she was just born," I say. "Babies are tiny when they are born."

"But… what about the other baby? Can I see the other baby too?"

Peeta walks over, then, holding a sleeping Beau in his arms at his sits upon the bed beside me, and beside Maria.

"This is your little brother, Beau," he whispers, and Maria's eyes go to the baby in his arms.

"He looks like you, too," she laughs, and I both feel and hear Peeta chuckle.

"He does," he agrees. "Do you wanna hold him?" he asks, and Maria's eyes light up. I, on the other hand, am hesitant but I swallow my concerns when he places only her sons head in Maria's lap, still nestled within the hollow of his arm. My heart melts at the sight and I know, in this moment, she is truly and completely _happy._

Moments later, Avery appears in the doorway and for the first time in a long time, I see a smile gracing his lips.

"Come here, Ave's, come meet your new brother and sister," Peeta says, and Avery complies, walking over slowly with a curiosity so bold his eyes are practically shining.

He comes to me; first, leaning over and looking to me before I nod my head, letting him know he can touch the baby in my arms. "This is your new sister, Anna," I whisper, and he smiles.

"Anna… that's a pretty name," he says. "What about that one?" He points to the child in his fathers' arms.

"This is Beau," Peeta says. "Beau Montgomery."

Something passes through Avery's eyes and my heart clenches. "You named him after grandpa?" he asks, looking to me before looking back to his father. Peeta smiles, nodding his head.

Avery never got to know his grandfather, but Peeta has told him multiple stories of how he had instantly fell in love with Avery when he had been born. He told him stories of how when Avery's mother had left only a few short months following his birth, Peeta's father had been there to help support him.

Peeta's father knew about his dream to one day own his own restaurant, and a couple years following his fathers' death, that dream came true. He'd opened it in honor of his father.

"Grandpa Monty would love you," Avery says, looking to me, then. "He would love these babies, too."

I smile, reaching out and holding his hand. "He would love the young man you've become, as well," I say. At eleven years old, he's far too bright and will surely follow in his fathers' footsteps. "You're going to be the best big brother in the world, isn't that right?" I ask.

Avery shakes his head. _"The best,"_ he says.

I smile, knowing it's true. I have the greatest family in the entire world, and I could never ask for anything more. Blended or not, _this_ was her family.

* * *

 **A/N** : _(this wasn't really edited all that much)._

 _I know nothing about pregnancies or birth with multiples. Anything stated in this story in regards to birth and labor I have only vaguely googled so don't take this as the real deal. I'm only 20 so… I basically know nothing about the birthing process._

 _Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I know the twins came rather fast but I knew from the beginning that this story was going to be rather fast paced. I hope you don't mind. I was very, very eager to meat the Mellark children and I'm sure you were too!_

 _Picking the names was a pain in my ass so I hope you like them. It's always hard for me to think up names for their children that go with the vibe of the story. Avery and Maria fit really well so I wanted the twins' names to fit as well. I hope I didn't disappoint!_

 _REVIEWS ARE ALWAYS APPRECIATED._

 _I don't even know if anyone is still reading this, though. I'm ashamed it took me this long to update. I kind of fell out of the Hunger Games fandom after the last movie even though I promised myself that I wouldn't. I hate myself too, don't worry. I promise it will never take this long again, though._


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